ORANGUTANS: Men of the Forest

175) New!! Pet.: Stop the Bayer-Monsanto mega merger Almost everything you eat could be controlled by a single mega-corporation, if Bayer gets its way & buys Monsanto. Once the deal goes ahead it could spell disaster for our food supply and farmers, ushering in a new era of sterile crops soaked in dangerous pesticides.If the deal is successful, it'll make the new corporation the biggest seed maker & pesticide company in the world -- & it will have almost total control of the most important aspects of our food supply. Pls SIGN & SHARE as much as possible!!!

March Against Monsanto: activists around the world will, once again, unite to March Against Monsanto http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/home/ Research studies have shown that Monsanto’s Genetically-Modified foods can lead to serious health conditions such as the development of cancer tumors, infertility & birth defects. In the USA, the FDA, the agency tasked with ensuring food safety for the population, is steered by ex-Monsanto executives, & we feel that’s a questionable conflict of interests & explains the lack of Gov.t-lead research on the long-term effects of GMO products. Recently, the U.S. Congress & president collectively passed the nicknamed “Monsanto Protection Act” that, among other things, bans courts from halting the sale of Monsanto’s Genetically-Modified seeds. Vote with your dollar by buying organic & boycotting Monsanto owned companies that use GMOs in their products. Labeling of GMOs so that consumers can make those informed decisions easier. Repealing relevant provisions of the US’s “Monsanto Protection Act.” Calling for further scientific research on the health effects of GMOs. Holding Monsanto executives & Monsanto-supporting politicians accountable through direct communication, grassroots journalism, social media, etc. Continuing to inform the public about Monsanto’s secrets. Taking to the streets to show the world & Monsanto that we won’t take these injustices quietly. We will not stand for cronyism. We will not stand for poison. That’s why we March Against Monsanto.http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/events/

Health Disaster in the Making: Hundreds of Schools Are Next to Fields Doused by Monsanto's Toxic Weed KillersGenetically engineered crops, or GMOs, have led to an explosion in growers’ use of herbicides, with the result that children at hundreds of elementary schools across the country go to class close by fields that are regularly doused with escalating amounts of toxic weed killers.GMO corn & soybeans have been genetically engineered to withstand being blasted with glyphosate – an herbicide that the World Health Organization recently classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” The proximity of many schools to fields blanketed in the chemical puts kids at risk of exposure.But it gets worse. Overreliance on glyphosate has spawned the emergence of “superweeds” that resist the herbicide, so now producers of GMO crops are turning to even more harmful chemicals. 1st up is 2,4-D, a World WarII-era defoliant linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease & reproductive problems. Young children are especially vulnerable to it. GM crops are chemical resistant, stronger & more toxic herbicides are sprayed without regard. We don't want these harmful GM crops in our countries! Cal M.http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3879925

172) New!! Pet.: Tell the EPA: Ban Monsanto’s Cancer-Causing Roundup Herbicide Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, is probably causing cancer in humans. That’s according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) panel of cancer experts, which published its latest review of the cancer risks of glyphosate on March 20, 2015. The timing of this new report couldn’t be better. Why? Glyphosate is currently under review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has the power to ban its use in Roundup, or anywhere else. Cal M. http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3866525

Despite Ban, Monsanto and Bayer GM Crops Contaminate EuropeEven though Europe has banned GM seeds, cross-contaminated crops can still be found all over the continent. As long as the US continues to produce & plant GMO crops, seeds will purposefully or accidentally get shipped to areas that do not use GMOs. This confirms the protestations of experts who have been saying that non-GM pants can be turned to GM plants, transforming conventional & organic crops into GM atrocities in a form of “biorape”. Cal M. http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3834362

169) New!! Pet.: STOP TTIP and CETAhttps://stop-ttip.org/ 1,059,419 signatures so far. America allows far more chemicals & genetic modifications in food that are banned in Europe. We call on the institutions of the European Union & its member states to stop the negotiations with the USA on the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) & not to ratify the Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada. We want to prevent TTIP & CETA because they include several critical issues such as investor-state dispute settlement & rules on regulatory cooperation that pose a threat to democracy & the rule of law. We want to prevent lowering of standards concerning employment, social, environmental, privacy & consumers & the deregulation of public services (such as water) & cultural assets from being deregulated in non-transparent negotiations.Source: Monka B.

One of the BASIC Principles of the "Mediterranean Diet" is PURPOSELY Olive Oil (that contains also Vitamin E)!!!!When my husband, English, went to the Hospital where his father was saved from an heart attack by a triple Bypass (Death Cause for: his 2 Uncles and his Grandmother; his mother saved with a Pace-maker), the English Cardiologist ASKED him to PASS to a Mediterranean Diet & use Olive Oil, just for healthy living and to avoid Cardiovascular Diseases!!!! michela

168) New!! Pet.: Pledge to Avoid Products Containing GMOshttp://www.takepart.com/photos/companies-against-gmo-labelingShare the pledge & encourage others to act. Together, we can encourage the food industry not to rely on potential dangerous GMOs. The modern supermarket is full of tough reading material. We see labels of "organic," "natural," "farm-raised," "cage-free," "hormone-free" & "fair trade." But, there's one label we don't see as often as we should: one that reads "Made with Non-GMO Ingredients."I pledge only to purchase food not made with the use of Genetically Modified Organisms. I will also encourage my elected representatives to support legislation requiring that foods containing GMOs be labeled.Video:Michael Hansen of the Consumers Union: Label GMOs in Oregon, Vote Yes on 92!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGNZMJHSIE0

10 Companies AGAINST GMO Labeling:Photo Gallery:http://www.takepart.com/photos/companies-against-gmo-labeling/the-kings-of-cornCorporations spent a combined $64 million in 2012—when California’s Prop 37 failed to pass—& 2013 to combat GMO labeling efforts. These are the 10 Food Companies that just might have enough money to keep GMO labels off products in the country—at least until the next election cycle The debate surrounding labeling foods that contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is heating up again as the midterm election approaches. If passed, Prop 92 in Oregon & Prop 105 in Colorado would require that Food Companies label products sold in those states that contain GMOs.With few days until the election, agribusiness giant Dupont Pioneer donated $2.5 million to the NO on 92 Coalition campaign in Oregon—the largest campaign contribution in the state’s history. Currently, more than 60 countries around the world require GMO labeling or ban GMOs altogether. Agribusiness giant Monsanto supports labeling abroad, but not in the USA.

Science Organizations say GMOs not proven safe Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, are crops or animals whose genetic material has been altered in a lab using genetic engineering techniques. For example, a bacterial trait may be inserted into corn that causes it to emit a harmful pesticide, or resist heavy applications of chemical herbicides without dying (this saves industrial farmers time by allowing them to douse their crops in chemicals, rather than selectively spraying weeds). The most common genetically modified food crops in the United States are corn, soy, canola, and sugar beets (used in the production of white table sugar), which either contain the bacterial pesticide trait or resist heavy chemical applications, or both. Some yellow squash, zucchini & Hawaiian papaya have also been genetically modified. Victoria O. http://www.care2.com/news/member/271353204/3815113

Palm Oil: maybe not such a good idea after allThere are 2 things that you can be certain of when it comes to Palm Oil: 1) business is booming & 2) Orangutans hate Palm Oil (if they could speak to us, I’m confident that’s what they would say). We can now add another certainty to that: Palm Oil causes low-grade inflammation that is linked to insulin resistance, obesity & other metabolic diseases that are partially mediated by our resident gut microbes….Source: Kimberly C.

165) New!!URGENT!!! Pet.: Tell Obama: Reject Dow Chemicals’s “Agent Orange” GMOs and their toxic new chemical cocktail!http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/breaking_EPA_to_approve_Dows_Agent_Orange_GMO_crops_Take_a_Stand/?t=4&akid=1345.178108.13LWG4USDA approved these risky crops last monthdespite half a million public comments, letters from scientists & health care professionals, & even a letter from 60 members of Congress in opposition. EPA is about to follow suit & approve Dow’s new 2,4-D-glyphosate herbicide mix intended for use on these GE crops. If you allow EPA to approve this herbicide mix, tens of millions of pounds more 2,4-D will be sprayed on these new crops.2,4-D would contaminate our food, water & atmosphere. Medical scientists have found that 2,4-D exposure is associated with higher rates of cancer, Parkinson’s disease, & reproductive problems. Dow’s 2,4-D resistant crops & 2,4-D herbicide mix pose a grave threat to our nation’s agricultural, environmental, & human health. I urge you to stop the approval of Enlist Duo herbicide and reverse USDA’s approval of 2,4-D-resistant corn & soybeans.Source: SuSanne P.

Slideshow:GMOs: Get the Factshttp://www.doctoroz.com/gallery/gmos-get-facts?gallery=trueGenetically Modified crops have rapidly taken over the market with the promise of lower costs & less pesticide use. But as resistance to the most common pesticides has arisen, these promises have started to fall apart. Now a new pesticide, Enlist Duo, is on the verge of being approved. Here's what you need to know.

164) New!! URGENT!!! Pet.: Demand the President step in & oppose EPA’sapproval of the New 2,4-D resistant Genetically Engineered Crops!https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/demand-president-step-oppose-epa%E2%80%99s-approval-new-24-d-resistant-genetically-engineered-crops/sy38Vm0s I am urging the President to deny the EPA’s approval of the 2,4-D & glyphosate herbicide combination developed by Dow Chemical Co. This mix of chemical herbicides known as “Enlist Duo” would mean an additional hundred million pounds of chemicals will be used to produce corn & soybeans across the country, putting families, children & the environment’s health at risk. Communities living downwind of fields & thousands of schools within 200 feet of corn & soybean fields are at risk of inhaling the new “Enlist Duo” herbicide. Exposure to the chemical 2,4-D is linked to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Thyroid & Reproductive Problems, Parkinson’s Disease & Neurological Damage.Do not allow the EPA to approve this highly toxic herbicide mix.

163) New!! Pet.: Tell President Obama to stop “Agent Orange” crops and the toxic chemicals they rely on http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14924 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is about to issue a dangerous approval that will put our farms, our food, & our environment at risk.EPA may announce approval of Dow Chemical’s new “Enlist Duo” herbicide within the next week. “Enlist Duo” is a mixture of glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup) & the even more toxic 2,4-D (part of the chemical mixture Agent Orange). Pls urge President Obama to stop this toxic herbicide & the Genetically Engineered crops that depend on it! Nancy C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/830372471/3809682

10 Banned Foods Americans Should Stop Eating Many foods are eaten on a regular basis in the U.S., but banned in many other countries. Concerned? You should be. Here are 10 foods that are banned around the world – and why. Source: Axa T.

162) New!! Pet.: We must STOP Monsanto and CETA! Don’t Sign CETA (Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement) English https://www.campact.de/ceta/appell/english-version/ German https://www.campact.de/ceta/appell/teilnehmen/French https://www.campact.de/ceta/appell/version-francaise/Should the EU & Canada sign the CETA treaty, it threatens to turn our legislative process into a pawn in the games of Multinational Corporations: Companies could sue via their Canadian subsidiaries whenever policies concerning social, environmental or consumer rights lead to a reduction of their profits. Private arbitration panels, operating behind closed doors, could award billions in compensation to companies – to be paid for by taxpayers’ money. Law firms that are closely aligned with the Corporations appoint the arbitrators, plaintiffs as well as defendants in these legal disputes. Signing CETA would pave the way for the TTIP agreement between the EU & the US to enter through the back door. That threatens to weaken existing European laws that restrict the use of Genetic Engineering in agriculture or prevent the contamination of drinking water through fracking. That’s why we demand: Don’t sign CETA! Source: Sabine H.

161) New!!Pet.: Tell Retailers: Label Monsanto's Genetically Engineered Sweet Cornhttp://www.grassrootsact.com/gmocorn?utm_source=DKConsumers deserve to know whether they're eating an insecticide! Monsanto has created genetically engineered sweet corn that produces pesticides in its own tissue, & it's being grown & sold to consumers throughout the U.S. This genetically engineered corn - which would never exist in nature - is regulated by the EPA as an insecticide, but it's sold alongside natural corn in grocery stores across the country. Sign & demand labeling for Genetically Engineered sweet corn, & if we reach 100,000 signatures, we'll send them to the Grocery Manufacturers Association & Monsanto. Nancy C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/830372471/3804910

What the @!^%# is genetically EDITED fruit?Say hello to Biotech's latest creation: Genetically Edited Organisms!!Just while real-food advocates thought they were making some headway in the fight against GMOs, a new, sneakier enemy has slipped into the picture. Unlike genetically modified organisms, whose DNA are altered with foreign genes, the DNA of Genetically Edited Organisms tweaks a plant's own genes. Cool--or crazy? It depends who you ask. But things do start to sound a little sketchy when biotech experts start in about how genetically edited produce might be a way to get past the GMO regulations that currently exist in Europe--regulations that many consumers hope will eventually become reality here in the U.S. Nancy C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/830372471/3803040

3 Simple Ways To Avoid GMOs A good chunk of Americans would like to see Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) labeled on food packages. And though some States, namely Connecticut & Maine, are inching towards laws that would require such labels, the federal Gov.t refuses to placate the public with a nationwide labeling law—leaving the 80 to 90% of people who want to avoid GMOs on their own.

160) New!! Pet.: Save Monarch Butterflies from Monsanto!http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/918/023/685/Monsanto makes big profits off convincing farmers to douse their fields with a pesticide called Roundup. Then they make even more cash when the farmers have to buy GMO seeds resistant to Roundup's poison — seeds only Monsanto makes. The problem is, the pesticide destroys plants like milkweed, the only food Monarch Butterfly larvae can eat. Milkweed is now gone from at least 100 million acres of crops. And monarch butterfly populations are crashing. Monarch butterflies are dying off... & scientists now believe Monsanto is to blame. If we want to protect Monarch Butterflies, we need to get the Gov.t to step in. Send your message to the Obama administration right now -- & help us save Monarch Butterflies from Monsanto! Cher C.http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/3804917

159) New!! Pet.: Hillary Clinton: It's time to dump Monsanto and support public health, and regenerative, organic agriculturehttp://petitions.moveon.org/sign/hillary-clinton-its-time?source=c.url&r_by=5382364To: Hillary Clinton. Speaking at this year's BIO International Convention, you reiterated your support for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). You said the industry needs "a better vocabulary" to change negative public perception about GMO agriculture. But mounting scientific evidence says the public is right to be concerned about the impact of Monsanto's GMO crops & food on the environment, public health & Global Warming. We don't need a better vocabulary. We need leaders who will stand up to Monsanto. As a mother, soon-to-be grandmother & potential future candidate for U.S. president, please do what's right, not what the biotech industry lobbyistswant you to do. Nancy C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/830372471/3786704

Thoughts of outrage, unfairness, disbelief, & ultimately grief consumed me while I was doing this investigation. A list ofingredients that are banned across the globe but still allowed for use here in the American food supply. While I have written about some of those ingredients before, this list inspired me to look a little deeper & find out how pervasive this issue is for us. Could these banned ingredients be contributing to the higher mortality & disease rates here in the U.S.? Here is the breakdown for you:

- More than two thirds of United States citizens are overweight – 33% being obese.

- 32% of children are either obese or overweight.

- 43% of Americans are projected to be obese in 10 years.

- After smoking, obesity is America’s biggest cause of premature death & is linked to 70% of heart disease & 80% of diabetes cases.

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These reports & statistics scream the word HELP! The food industry is the one leading our conversation in this country about food & nutrition, educating the mass public about what to eat & what not to eat.

News: Exclusive: Facebook censors pictures of children rallying against GMOs during global March Against Monsantohttp://www.naturalnews.com/040484_Facebook_censorship_children_Monsanto_rally.htmlIn one of the most devastating acts of destruction of its own credibility, Facebook engaged in yet more censorship of Free Speech with the suspending of an account that posted a photo of children rallying against Monsanto during today's global March Against Monsanto.Source: Jeanne S.

Palm Oil -Health:BloodLipid andCholesterolEffectsThe U.S. Center for Science in the Public Interest said Palm Oil promotes heart disease (high in saturated and low in polyunsaturated fat); Report cited Research going back to 1970; also said that The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, World Health Organization (WHO), and other Health Authoritiesurged reduced consumptionof Palm Oil; WHO states that there is convincing evidence that palmitic acid consumption contributes to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. A 2006 Study by the National Institute of Health and the USDA Agricultural Research Service concluded that it's not a safe substitute for partially hydrogenated fats(trans fats)in theFood Industry, as Palm Oil results in adverse changes in the bloodconcentrations of LDL Cholesterol and apolipoprotein B just as trans fat does.

Palm Oil - in the Cooking IndustryA common cooking ingredient in Africa, Southeast Asia and parts of Brazil. Since Palm Oilis of alower qualitythanOlive Oil, it remained rare outside West Africa. Its increasing use in the commercial Food Industry... because: 1) Palm Oil has the LOWEST Production COST of the major Oils, and 2) Products last moretimein the Supermarketshelves!! for the high oxidative stability (saturation) of the refined product when used for frying. Many processed foods contain Palm Oil but it is NOT DECLARED on Labels!!! Or Labelsimply says: "Vegetable Oils"!!Try to read a Chips Packet Label, just as an example!!This is a real offence to allof us, but particularlytoVEGANS and VEGETARIANS devoting their lifestyle not to hurt animals, while,like all customers, they areunwillingly and unconsciously contributing to the SLAUGHTER of Tigers, Elephants, Rhinos, Wildlife...and GENOCIDE of Orangutans, who share 97% DNAwithus!!!

Why the Food Industry Is Spending $25 Million To Keep You in the Darkhttp://www.rodale.com/gmo-labeling-californiaDonors range from the obvious biotech Cos. like Monsanto incl. a number of Food Cos. that market & sell organic foods (organic foods are prohibited from containing GM ingredients). Are your favorite food Cos. trying to hide what's in your food? More than 90% of Americans want genetically modified (GM) foods labeled & want to know if it's eating ingredients derived from lab-created plants genetically modified to resist (& sometime create their own) toxic pesticides, withstand drought, or produce higher yields. GM ingredients infiltrated more than 75% of processed foods: Food Cos. successfully defeated (or threatened to defeat) law after law that would have required these ingredients to be labeled.Once people know that a product contains GM ingredients, they won't buy it.This Nov., the war between food Cos. & food eaters is coming to a head in CA. For the 1st time, voters -not senators, repres., or Corporate Lobbyists- decide whether labels like "This product contains GMOs" or "Contains GMO Corn" will appear on food packages. Labeling advocates garnered more than 1Million sign. on a petition to get the CA Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act (also known as Prop 37) on the Nov. ballot. Food Cos. have been out in full force, funding ads against the measure. The "No on 37: Coalition Against the Deceptive Food Labeling Scheme" has been collecting donations to the tune of $25.6Million$ in an effort to defeat a law that, though local to CA, would affect food sold across the US, since roughly 10% of the US population lives in CA, laws there tend to impact sales everywhere.

Health Effects of Palm Oil Health departments in Governments should be concerned about it as far as I'm concerned. Just as bad as trans fats!!! Dianne C.

Palm oil is produced in tropical countries like Indonesia from a particular palm that makes big oily fruits that are pressed for the oil within. The oil is high in saturated fats just like bacon, cheddar cheese or cocoanut.

Palm oil contains five different saturated fats. Saturated fats will raise your blood cholesterol levels and can lead to heart disease. All oils have some saturated fat in them but palm oil is very high in saturated fat relative to corn, soy or olive oil. If you have any concerns about heart health or about the health of your arteries, you should not be eating any palm oil.And, its easy to avoid if you chose better quality foods & avoid the highly processed foods found in run of the mill grocery stores. Find a natural food store near you and shop for cookies etc there (you need to read the ingredients to be sure). Palm oil has become very popular among food processors because of the recent backlash against “trans fats” which are hydrogenated oils that pose a serious health threat in terms of heart disease, stroke and other circulation diseases. Palm oil replaced those trans fats in processed foods because it will remain solid at room temperature and not leach out of products.Unfortunately palm oil poses the same health risks as trans fats.

Palm Oil is extracted from the oil palm tree's fruit. This tree is originally from W. Africa, although Indonesia is currently the main world producer of P.Oil. Palm Oil is cheap & semi-solid, which makes it a popular alternative for foods commonly made with trans fat, commercial food producers are trying to steer away from trans fat.However,Palm Oilis not considered a healthy oil because it is very high in saturated fat.

Fat Composition: P.Oil contains an unhealthy composition of fat. It is comprised of 52% saturated fat, a type of fat that contributes toheart disease. The rest of Palm Oil is made up of 38% monounsaturated fat & 10% polyunsaturated fat. These unsaturated fats can reduce your risk of heart disease by improving your cholesterol, among other benefits. However, the amount of saturated fat is much higher than that in other oils. Research: The food industry uses trans fat for foods like fast foods & baked goods, but trans fatcauses negative effects on the heart, including increasing LDL, or "bad," cholesterol. A 2006 study supported by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service studied Palm Oil to see if it would be a healthier alternative to trans fat, that would at the same time maintain the integrity of the food. The study found thatPalm Oil had similar consequences to trans fat in increasing LDL cholesterol when compared to soybean & canola oils.

Smoke Point: The smoke point of an oil is the highest temperature it can go before it becomes unhealthy. If you heat an oil past its smoke point, it can create free radicals, which are thought to be responsible for cancer & other diseases. Palm Oil has a high smoke point, so you can use it at top heats for deep-frying, browning & searing. However, keep in mind that deep-frying is unhealthy.

News: Political & Corporate elite shun GM food on their own platehttp://www.naturalnews.com/037466_GM_food_global_elite_organic_gardens.htmlWith a sad twist of irony, Corporate & Gov.t elite dine on safe, organic food while the masses, those very people who are supposedly represented & protected by their Gov.ts, are poisoned by hidden genetically modified organisms, pesticides & dangerous contaminants. The presidential family demands organic food in their kitchen, yet behind closed doors, shake hands with the Biotech Industry. China's top brass is fed by an exclusive, gated organic garden while the rest of the population consumes GM food, steroid contaminated meat & dairy laced with melamine. Even Monsanto's own employee's command non-genetically modified food in their canteen. Access to clean, organic & healthy food is not a given right anymore -- it has become a political battleground with the average citizen suffering the loss.

Do you want to eat crops that have been doused with a component of Agent Orange? 2,4-D is a toxic herbicide associated with serious health risks. These GMO crops will also, like their predecessors, lead to much greater use of even more dangerous chemicals, the development of more herbicide-resistant weeds, destruction & genetic contamination of neighboring crops, & severe economic impacts on other farmers. Cher C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/3702792

Soy vey! Monsanto just lost its GM permit in the YucatánMonsanto has lost GM permit in Mexico! A judge in Mexico has revoked Monsanto’s permit to plant Genetically Engineered soy in the Yucatán peninsula. The permit authorised Monsanto to plant its seeds in 7 states, over more than 253,000 hectares (625,000 acres), despite protests from thousands of Mayan farmers & beekeepers, Greenpeace, the Mexican Nat.l Commission for the Knowledge & Use of Biodiversity, the Nat.l Commission of Natural Protected Areas & the Nat.l Institute of Ecology. Wolfgang W. http://www.care2.com/news/member/852781407/3795963

153) New!! Pet.: Say No GMO!http://www.farmersmarketactioncommittee.org/Americans overwhelmingly want our foods labeled so we know whether or not it is genetically manipulated or engineered. But Monsanto & other huge industrial agra-food Corporations are spending millions on high priced lobbyists to keep this information secret! President Obama can direct the Food & Drug Admin. to require food products which contain GMOs to disclose this information to consumers. California's Senior Senator Diane Feinstein recently disclosed that the President has this power, & strongly urged the President to take action now. Your Farmers Market Action Committee has endorsed this plan. Now we need thousands of emails to the White House to show that you & millions of Americans really want GMOs labeled! Nancy C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/830372471/3786175

150) New!! Pet.: The best way to stop Monsantohttps://secure.avaaz.org/en/seed_exchange_nd_loc/?slideshowThe source of our planet’s food is under threat. Ten agro-chemical firms own 73% of the commercial seed market, & as many as 93% of seed varieties have gone extinct. In the US alone 85% of apple varieties have disappeared. Monsanto & Co. are privatising the genesis of nature. And this Corporate takeover is decimating sustainable farming, destroying the diversity of our crops, & making them vulnerable to diseases that could threaten our food security. Cal M. http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3786630

148) New!! Pet.: Stop Poisoning Paradise! Stand With Kaua'i in their Battle Against Excessive Pesticide Usehttp://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/705/260/897/Kaua'i, Hawaii a world treasure: ecologically unique, famous for its beauty. It’s also Ground Zero in the fight against Chemical Cos. & the excessive use of pesticides in our food & on workers & people in nearby communities. Dow, DuPont Pioneer, Syngenta & BASF 4 of the largest Chemical Cos. turned parts of Kaua'i into 1 of the most toxic chemical environments in all of American agriculture. Exploiting 3-4 growing seasons/year, experiments with extremely excessive amounts of the most toxic agricultural chemicals to develop pesticide-tolerant crops (i.e. the food we eat). Their aim: increase profits by selling more chemicals & patented seeds that only work with their chemicals. Kauai people & land: bombarded daily & up to 10-16 times/day, with neurotoxins, carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, mixed pesticide-cocktails with unknown & untested impacts. We will not stand by as they exploit people & land for their own profits. Tell the Chemical Cos. to stop poisoning paradise, join the global movement to stop them in their drive to hook our food system on their chemicals. Cal M. http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3780235

143) New!! Pet.:Boycott Coca-Cola now!!http://cokeboycott.com/Coca-Cola secretly funneled more than $1.5 million through a business association in order to block an initiative that would have required the labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Now GMO labeling initiatives are developing in 29 States incl. Oregon & Vermont. It’s time for the Co. to stop fighting our right to know what’s in our food. We’re engaging hundreds of thousands of people worldwide to spread the word about Coca-Cola’s secret campaign contributions, & encouraging people to boycott the brands they market as healthier alternatives until they change their ways. Facebook & Twitter links to spread the Message. Source: Janice T.

141) New!! Pet.:Stop GE Crop Field Trials!http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=11103USDA has continued to allow Monsanto to conduct GE wheat field trials, despite unanswered questions as to how the company’s product contaminated Oregon wheat last year. As we’ve warned for over a decade, contamination is inevitable whenirresponsible companies likeMonsantoare allowed to experiment with our food supply while USDA is asleep at the wheel.How many times does this have to happen before we finally put a stop to these risky GE field trials?USDA has a terrible track record overseeing these field trials. Even the USDA’s own Inspector General issued a scathing report detailing numerous violations of agency rules in regulating GEcrop field trials. USDA officials did not know the locations of many field trials it was charged with regulating & did not conduct required inspections of others. Tell Congress & the USDA to stop open-air field trials of GE crops!Source: Janice T.

March Against Monsanto News From EverywhereTo the rhythms of drums & chants, concerned people took to the streets across 436 cities in 52 countries on May 24. The message was clear: smash Monsanto. With thousands marching from coast to coast, Canada to Argentina, & around the world, the day of protest has emerged as one of the largest global events—& it has only been around for two years. However, more than small hopes for a mandatory labeling of genetically modified products, smashing Monsanto entails a larger transformation of the modern relationship between people and food. Betsy Bee http://www.care2.com/news/member/444864297/3773711

6 Terrifying Things Monsanto Does: Why You Should Join the 2nd Global Protest on SaturdayMillions of activists from around the world will once again March Against Monsanto.Frustrated that she couldn’t feed her family pesticide-free foods that hadn’t been genetically altered without spending a small fortune, a Utah mom named Tami Canal organized the 1st March Against Monsanto effort last year. What began as the young mother’s Facebook call to action has evolved into an ongoing global movement against harmful pesticides & rampant genetic engineering (GE) of the food supply (which still lacks independent, peer-reviewed studies to back up its safety). Wolfgang W. http://www.care2.com/news/member/852781407/3773251

137) New!! Pet.: Tell the EPA and FDA: Immediately suspend Monsanto's Roundup herbicidehttp://act.credoaction.com/sign/suspend_roundup?akid=10689.4350611.tYW6uZ&rd=1&t=3The introduction of Roundup in 1973 corresponded with a rise in conditions incl.celiac disease (gluten intolerance), autism, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, obesity, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Parkinson's & others. And its use - along with the rates of many of these diseases - has gone stratospheric over the last 15 years, with the approval of Monsanto's GMO "Roundup Ready" crops specifically engineered to tolerate massive exposure to glyphosate. Roundup is now used all over the world on staple crops like wheat & soy, & has become the most widely used herbicide in the US. Despite these trends, the EPA & FDA still consider glyphosate to be relatively safe & harmless - based largely on unpublished, industry-produced studies. That position is looking increasingly dangerous, & possibly wrong. Krista S. http://www.care2.com/news/member/504132205/3770901

135) New!! Pet.: Tell EPC Member States: Don't Let Monsanto Buy Up Mother Earth!http://act.watchdog.net/petitions/2739?n=69160697.fLzQFXMonsanto isn't satisfied with just selling us herbicides & pesticides for coating our crops. Now they're using a European legal loophole to patent away varieties of cucumber, broccoli, melons & conventional ways of breeding fruits & veggies abroad -- forcing growers to pay them for the very seeds they're planting! If we can reach out to countries like Germany, France & the Netherlands where opposition to Monsanto is growing, we can force a vote among the state of the European Patent Convention to stop the Biotech Giant in its tracks. We have a chance to stop Monsanto from setting a dangerous precedent & help fix the European patent laws for good. Will you join us? Call on the EPO Administrative Council to close the loopholes that allow Corporations like Monsanto to patent plants & conventional breeding methods today. Krista S. http://www.care2.com/news/member/504132205/3767671

133) New!! Pet.:Reject the Next Generation of GMO Crops and Pesticideshttps://secure.earthjustice.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1588The toxic herbicide, 2,4-D, is associated with serious health impacts. New GMO crops have been created to resist 2,4-D so farmers could spray the herbicide without killing their corn & soy. But when the same herbicide is sprayed on a field repeatedly, a few naturally resistant weeds survive, reproduce & eventually take over. Because farmers did this with Monsanto’s Roundup-resistant crops, fields across the U.S. are now choked with Roundup-resistant weeds. Cher C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/3766074

132) New!! Pet.: Tell the FDA to investigate into the harmful effects of Genetically Modified ingredients in our children's foodhttp://thehungersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ths/petition/ChildrenGMOsThe term "Genetically Modified Organism" (GMO) may not be one that exists in most people's everyday lexicons — but it is one that needs exposure, because GMOs are found in many products we buy today. GMOs are foods whose chemical structures have been modified, & can introduce new allergens into food as well as contribute to antibiotic resistance. In fact, GMOs can be found in many of the foods & products we give to our children these days. Infant formula, baby bottles, baby foods — these are all products that are made for children, who by definition also happen to have highly susceptible immune systems. Until GMOs are proven safe, they shouldn't be used in ANY of our products, especially those widely used by young children. Tell the FDA to stop allowing the use of these products until it has proven them safe for human consumption! Source: Janice T.

131) New!! Pet.: We Have a Right to Know About GMOshttp://thehungersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ths/petition/LabelGMOsTell the FDA commissioner to require Genetically Modified ingredients to be reflected in food package labels!Everyone has a right to know about the food they eat & feed their families, but under current FDA regulations, U.S. citizens are denied that right when it comes to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). The number & variety of GMO foods reaching grocery shelves is accelerating without proper regulation or human health testing, & most disconcertingly, without comprehensive labeling. Studies by the Nat.l Academy of Sciences have shown that Genetically Engineered plants have real potential to introduce new allergens & toxins into our food supply. 64 other Countries have labeling requirements in place to enable consumers to make informed, healthy decisions about their food selection, incl. 15 European Countries, Russia, Japan, China, Australia, & New Zealand. Tell the FDA it is time for the USA to join the rest of the modern world & mandate clear labeling of all foods containing GMOs!! Source: Janice T.

121) New!! Pet.: Keep Deadly Weed Killer Out of Our Rain and Airhttp://forcechange.com/108939/keep-deadly-weed-killer-out-of-our-rain-and-air/#.UySIE6jMrsk.care2Target: US Pres. Barack Obama; Goal: Demand a stop to the use of a weed killer that is poisoning our rain & air - A shocking new investigation revealed that traces of the weed killer ‘Roundup’ were discovered in 75% of air & rain samples in Mississippi’s Delta region. Horrifying implications: as the use of the weed killer is widespread, & could potentially be affecting a huge number of Americans. Studies conducted on Roundup itself draw significant links to Parkinson’s disease & several cancers. Roundup is the flagship weed killer made by Food Giant Monsanto. The presence of this substance is even more worrying as its toxicity has amplified since it was approved for agricultural use. As weeds & pests have grown immune to its effects, Monsanto has increased Roundup’s potency & the amount used..Victoria O. http://www.care2.com/news/member/271353204/3752673

Sowing "Seeds of Hope": An Interview with Jane GoodallJANE GOODALL the world's most famous primatologist, became the 1st to prove that nonhuman animals make tools — but lately she's been spending more time focusing on a life form less intelligent than the Chimpanzees, one that has no brains at all: plants. Her newest book, Seeds of Hope: Wisdom & Wonder From the World of Plants chronicles her lifelong love of all things leafy. "There would be no Chimpanzees without plants, nor human beings either" & confesses that she might never have started studying Apes had she not, as a child, been obsessed with Africa's Forests. Goodall runs the Jane Goodall Inst. to protect Chimpanzees' habitat, & Roots & Shoots to encourage children to become conservationists. She's a U.N. Messenger of Peace & a Dame of the British Empire. “all the horrors of modern agriculture with its chemical pesticides & fertilizers, & then Genetically Modified plants. That was the most chilling of all.Why was that so chilling?Twisted Truth is the most chilling thing I've ever read, about the huge conspiracy by the big Companies who do genetic modification to keep the public from knowing the truth, to subvert the course of justice. It’s really terrifying read…when you put other genes into a plant, you have to shoot them in, & the plant fights every bit it can to keep those alien genes out. The plant doesn’t want them. So they have to shoot them in like miniature cannons. Qian Z. http://www.care2.com/news/member/981786277/3752995

117) New!! Pet.: Tell the USDA to Keep Agent GMOs Off Your Plate!http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/stop_agent_orange_GMOs_off_your-plate/?rd=1&t=5&referring_akid=1176.451278.gIJaYJAs the 1st generation of biotech crops failed badly, now the Biotech Industry is stepping up the chemical arms race in an effort to make up for the failure of Monsanto’s Roundup. Excessive use of Roundup by GMO farmers has led million of acres of U.S. farmland filled with Roundup resistant superweeds. To combat this, Dow Chemical is petitioning the USDA to approve a new GMO "Agent Orange" corn & soy to tolerate 2,4-D, a main chemical component of the Vietnam era defoliantlinked to birth defects, cancer, & hormone disruption. On top of these horrific health problems, 2,4-D is widely known among farmers to be difficult to control during application, leading to drift onto neighboring farms, causing major crop damage & contaminating waterways. These facts have greatly alarmed scientists & farmers, leading a former top Reagan USDA official to declare 2,4-D one of “the most dangerous chemicals out there” Tell the USDA to Dump Dow’s Dangerous Agent Orange GMOs! David B. http://www.care2.com/news/member/768353846/3750728

115) New!! Pet.: Tell Starbucks to serve only organic, non-GMO milkhttp://action.greenamerica.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=13224Starbucks: 1 of the world’s most popular & widespread coffeehouse brands, boasts nearly 20,000 retail stores in over 60 countries. While not genetically modified themselves, dairy products are not immune to the insidious impacts of GMOs. Cows living in concentrated animal feeding operations are fed a grain diet comprised almost entirely of genetically modified corn, soy, alfalfa, & cotton seed. These crops degrade the quality of our land & water, perpetuate Corporate-controlled agriculture, have potentially negative health impacts on livestock. The overuse of antibiotics is contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, putting us all at risk. With biotech giants Monsanto, Dow Chemical, & Syngenta lending power to industrialized agriculture, the future of our food system rests in the hands of profit-driven Corporations, while people & the planet come last on the list of priorities. Starbucks is already serving rBGH-free dairy & using only USDA-certified organic soy milk. By setting the same organic standard for dairy milk, Starbucks can demonstrate a serious commitment to providing environmentally & socially conscious products. Ask Starbucks to provide organic dairy milk at all of its locations, to support a sustainable future for all.

113) URGENT!! New!! Pet.:Tell the USDA: No ‘Coexistence’ with Monsanto!http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12789send your comments to the USDA before midnight March 4 (2014). According to a recent USDA report, in 2013, about half—169 million acres—of land in the U.S. used for crops were planted in GMO crops (mostly corn, cotton & soybeans). If you think we should protect the other half, submit your comment!! Source: Artur B.

112) New!! URGENT!! Pet.: Tell the USDA to Stop Dow Chemical’s "Agent Orange" Crops http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12645Dow Chemical, the same Co. that brought us Dursban, Napalm, & Agent Orange, is now in the food business & is pushing for an unprecedented Gov.t approval: Genetically Engineered (GE) versions of corn & soybeans that are designed to survive repeated dousing with 2,4-D, half of the highly toxic chemical mixture Agent Orange. Agent Orange was the chemical defoliant used by the U.S. in Vietnam, & it caused lasting environmental damage as well as many serious medical conditions in both American veterans & the Vietnamese.USDA has just released its draft environmental impact statement & announced a 45-day public comment period on these new crops. Tell USDA & President Obama to reject Dow Chemical’s “Agent Orange” crops!Source:Marsha A.

EWG’s 2014 Shopper’s Guide To Avoiding GE FoodConsumers have the right to know if their food has been genetically engineered!The U.S. Gov.t does not require labeling of GE foods or ingredients so that shoppers can make informed decisions.More than 60 other Nations, including France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Russia, China & the U.K., require GE labeling. Consumers have many good reasons to avoid eating genetically engineered ingredients! Source: Marsha A.

111) New!! Pet.: Monsanto: Withdraw your Roundup herbicide from the market, before it's too late for the monarch butterflies!http://action.sumofus.org/a/monsanto-is-killing-the-monarchs/?akid=3949.1581387._jNEyK&rd=1&sub=fwd&t=1An independent study has linked the Monarch's decline with Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide. This Corporate giant knows what it's doing. But Monsanto says we should balance the butterfly's survival with what it calls "productive agriculture". We need to fight this now, before it’s too late for the butterflies.Tell Monsanto to pull its butterfly-killing herbicide before it’s too late. Source: Waltraud U.The mass migration of 60 million Monarch Butterflies may soon be history thanks to Monsanto

110) New!! Pet.:Take a stand for Organic Farmers around the World!http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/i_am_steve_marsh/?akid=1161.959581.XrBiZQ&rd=1&t=2An important case is being heard halfway around the world in W. Australia about organic farmer Steve Marsh, whose organic field was contaminated by his neighbor’s genetically engineered canola. Steve lost his organic certification & as much as 70% of Steve’s farm has been contaminatedwith Monsanto’s patented genes. With clever fine print in their seed contracts, Monsanto is not legally liable for their patented genes contaminating an organic farmer’s field due to their "no liability" agreement they force farmers who plant their GMO seeds to sign. Steve’s farm income & family’s livelihood has been put at risk. He could literally lose everything. Pls stand with organic farmers to protect the rights of organic farmers everywhere! Every voice counts! Source: Artur B.

108) New!! Pet.:Fructose: The healthier choice?http://action.sumofus.org/a/eu-fructose/?akid=2610.1581387.mGVgI5&rd=1&sub=fwd&t=2Would you call a can of Coke a ‘healthier’ option? Well Cos. like Coke will be able to claim their products are 'healthier' thanks to a new EU regulation on using fructose.There’s only one small problem -- high levels of fructose is a leading cause of obesity around the world. Source: Waltraud U.

105) New!! Pet.:Fighting for people over profitshttp://action.sumofus.org/a/tpp-lawsuits/?sub=homepageGiant Philip Morris suing Australia for billionsDollars in lost profitsas the Gov.t took action to reduce teenage smoking. Pharma Giant Eli Lilly suing Canada for $500Million, as Canada has laws to keep essential drugs affordable. Cases happening in secret Int.l courts where only Corporations access. Details leaking of 2 global trade pacts (TPP&TTIP) to expand the power of Corp.s to sue ourGov.ts. Fom US to Australia & from EU to Canada negotiating & some could be just days from signing up. Thousands of Corp. lobbyists writing these secret pacts: the public isn't allowed to see them. Gov.tsknow that the public won't like these Corporate power grabs, they're hoping to keep them under the radar until it's too late to stop them. Let’s raise our voices. Our Gov.ts are meeting to lock a deal. Demand they reject any secret treaties that increase the power of Corporations in our democracies.Source: Artur B

104) New!! Pet.: Stop Biotech's new GMO Apple http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/stop_the_kiss_of_death_GMO_apple/?akid=1151.959581.SI1SLD&rd=1&t=2Tragically, a Canadian firm has created a new GMO apple, using a new “gene silencing” technique that could interfere with the expression of genes in humans, even silencing vital human genes, potentially causing serious health problems. Right now, the Obama Admin. is considering the approval of the world’s 1st genetically engineered apple, known as the ArcticApple®, which has been engineered to silence the natural browning enzyme that may help apples fight disease & pests. If approved, this GMO apple will appear on shelves unlabeled & without proper regulation!!Source: Artur B.

93) URGENT!!! Pet.: NEW DEADLINE JANUARY 30: Tell the USDA You Don’t Want a GMO Apple!http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12512Unless the USDA heeds consumers, environmentalists & apple growers who are speaking out against deregulation of the Arctic Apple, the first GMO apple could soon turn up in fast-food restaurants, school cafeterias—even baby food. With no labels to warn consumers!!!. The Arctic Apple poses a risk to human health, a risk to the environment & a risk to conventional & non-organic apple growers.Pls Tell the USDA to reject biotech’s non-browning Frankenapple!Source: Sylvie C.

New Study Renews Roundup 'Weedkiller' Toxicity ConcernA new study raises concern that the world's most popular herbicide glyphosate 'Roundup' used primarily in the production of GM food, represents a serious human health threatwith toxicity causing the cell death of 2 different proteins. An important biosafety issue when it comes to the widespread use of glyphosate-based agrichemicals in our food & environment, namely, an ingredient like glyphosate may not reveal its inherent toxicity in isolation, & that toxicological risk assessments performed on these chemicals do not take into account the reality of synergistic toxicity, i.e. the total adverse effects often far exceed the sum of the individual components being evaluated.Victoria O.http://www.care2.com/news/member/271353204/3703949

Terrible News:USDA Moves to Approve "Agent Orange" GMO Seedshttp://truth-out.org/news/item/21069-usda-moves-to-approve-agent-orange-gmo-seedsFood safety activists & environmental activists call the GMO seeds "Agent Orange crops" because 2,4-D was a component of the notorious herbicide used by American forces during the Vietnam War that caused serious illnesses among veterans & the Vietnamese population. 2,4-D has continued to be used in the USA & across the world. Pesticide critics point to studies that have linked 2,4-D to health problems such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer. “Any increase in the use of 2,4-D with Enlist corn & soybeans will hit rural communities especially hard, as numerous medical studies have linked 2,4-D & related herbicides to increased rates of cancer & Parkinson’s diseaseas well as low sperm counts in farmers & to birth anomalies in their children”.Denmark, Sweden, Norway & parts of Canada have banned 2,4-D in light of such research, but the EPA considers the chemical to be relatively safe. In 2012, the EPA denied a petition from environmental groups to cancel the chemical's legal registration. Kit B.http://www.care2.com/news/member/451276626/3697458Jody Herr, who believes his tomato field has been poisoned by 2,4-D, the powerful herbicide that was an ingredient in Agent Orange, the Vietnam War defoliant, in a field that he farms in Lowell, IN

98) New!! Pet.: Tell EPC Member States: Don't Let Monsanto Buy Up Mother Earth! http://act.watchdog.net/petitions/2739?ls=Rw6d3XampiIMonsanto isn't satisfied with just selling us herbicides & pesticides for coating our crops. Now they're using a European legal loophole to patent away varieties of cucumber, broccoli, melons & conventional ways of breeding fruits & veggies abroad -- forcing growers to pay them for the very seeds they're planting! Don't let Monsanto keep buying up Mother Earth. If we can reach out to countries like Germany, France & the Netherlands where opposition to Monsanto is growing, we can force a vote among the state of the European Patent Convention to stop the biotech giant in its tracks. We have a chance to stop Monsanto from setting a dangerous precedent & help fix the European patent laws for good. Will you join us? We urge you to call on the EPO Administrative Council to close the loopholes that allow Corporations like Monsanto to patent plants & conventional breeding methods today. Source: Artur B

Dear Michela M, Since news broke about General Mills' decision to remove GMOs from Cheerios last week, our story has gone viral. Thanks to all of your work, we've gotten over 200 media stories in major publications including: NY Times, Al Jazeera, LA Times, NPR, CNN, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Bloomberg, PBS, Voice of America, and more. Read all about it at theGMO Inside news page.Cheerios: Next StepsWhat's next? Third-party verification of Cheerios' non-GMO status, of course. While we're off investigating Cheerios' ingredients and planning our next targets, join us in thanking General Mills for taking this first step!96) New!!Click here to share our Thank You on Facebook, and to ask GM for independent non-GMO verification.

92) URGENT!!! New!! Pet.: Before Monsanto uncorks the champagnehttp://www.avaaz.org/en/no_champagne_for_monsanto_loc/?slideshowMonsanto's about to celebrate their biggest coup ever, but we've got until the weekend to stop them!! The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a huge, ultra-secret deal among 12 major Countries that would give Corporations unprecedented power- allowing them to use new global tribunals to sue our Gov.ts for passing laws that protect us, but reduce their profits!This could apply to everything from labeling GMO foods toprotecting internet freedom!! I signed with all my & my family mails!! Cal M.http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/3683321

Throw These Cooking Oils in the Trashhttp://www.care2.com/greenliving/urgent-throw-these-cooking-oils-in-the-trash.html?page=1“If they have to put the word ‘natural’ on a box to convince you, it probably isn’t.” But this doesn’t stop countless processed food manufacturers from boldly labeling their products as 100% natural in the hopes of appealing to health-minded shoppers like you. After all, products labeled as “natural” or “sustainable” account for $50 billion in sales annually, or 8% of total retail grocery sales, & the numbers are likely growing. When you see a supposedly “natural” product, like ConAgra’s Wesson brand vegetable oils claim to be, you would probably assume they contain no genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which by definition are not found in nature. But Wesson oils, specifically the Canola Oil, Vegetable Oil, Corn Oil, & Best Blend, do in fact contain GMOs, prompting a class-action lawsuit over their misleading “100% natural” label claim. Any GM Product is, by Definition, NOT Natural. Source: Ruth R.

86) News/Pet.: NDTV dump Monsanto!http://www.greenpeacex.in/petitions/ndtv-dump-monsanto-1A few days after we delivered signatures to NDTV, activist Anantha Sayanan got a response that NDTV has stopped their campaign with Monsanto & the TV series “Inspiring lives” has been stalled & would not be aired. Monsanto is a controversial Corporation hated by people all over the world, uses unethical practices & evil money to further its agenda. GMOs are banned in many countries. Monsanto is known for its agenda to control food & farming as seen in the case of Bt cotton in India. Cotton was once used by Mahatma Gandhi in the fight for India’s independence, now 93% of our cotton is owned by American Corporation Monsanto’s proprietary technology known as Bt cotton. NDTV is a reputed news organisation & pioneer in Indian TV, it aims to provide accurate news. So why partner with a liar like Monsanto? Monsanto guilty as charged for crimes against nature, against the right of farmers to grow, & consumers to eat, GE-free crops & food. NDTV is misleading the nation by partnering with Monsanto. Source Krish S.

85) New!!Pet.:Coca-Cola: Stop funding anti GMO labeling campaignshttps://www.change.org/petitions/coca-cola-stop-funding-anti-gmo-labeling-campaignsCoca-Cola secretly contributed more than a million dollars to campaign against the labeling of genetically modified organisms(GMOs).The Co. owns also many brands marketed as healthier alternatives, incl. HonestTea, Powerade, Odwalla, VitaminWater, SimplyOrange. Coca-Cola’s CEO: “We have provided a tremendous amount of choice to people” but when it comes to your right to know how your food was produced, Coca-Cola joined Biotech giant Monsanto in trying to keep you in the dark! Source: Krish S.

79) New!! Pet.: Corporate interests won in Washington State, but we can win in Washington, D.C.!http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12401In what became a disappointing replay of last year’s vote on California’s GE labeling bill (Prop 37), big Food & Chemical Corporations dumped millions of $ into defeating the initiative, with a carefully coordinated smear campaign to mislead voters. These out of state Corporations poured an outrageous $22 million $ into the “No” campaign in Washington, & a shocking $45 million into the “No” campaign in California last year. Tell Obama & the FDA it’s time to label GE foods nationwide! Robert S. http://www.care2.com/news/member/101693842/3672920

78) Action: Want to Stop Monsanto? Stop Using Its Best Seller: Round Uphttp://www.nationofchange.org/want-stop-monsanto-stop-using-it-s-best-seller-round-1384441308This toxic (to say the least) crap should not be used by anyone, but it is. This should stop.Round Up: Monsanto’s best selling agricultural product – ever. More than $3 billion in sales annually, on the market since the 1970s as glyphosate or N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, & named Round Up in the last few years, but the sales of the toxic chemical have almost quadrupled since its inception. Some farmers say the overuse of this herbicide has put them ‘back 20 years’ forcing the hand-pulling of weeds & the consideration of more drastic options for weed management. This leads to higher food prices, lower crop yields, & rising costs to farmers, as well as greater pollution of land & water. Robert S.http://www.care2.com/news/member/101693842/3672594

74) New!!Pet.No GMOs, Cheerios!http://action.greenamerica.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9239While General Mills promotes the health benefits of Cheerios for their whole grain oats, it is silent about the fact that many of the other ingredients in Cheerios sold in the US are at high risk for containing GMOs. While concealing its use of GMOs in the US & Canada, General Mills offers non-GMO Cheerios to consumers in Europe. Most industrialized countries have required GMO labeling for years. In Europe, General Mills manufactures Cheerios without GMOs, or if it sells Cheerios in Europe that are manufactured in North America, the product is labeled as “likely containing GMOs.” Adding insult to injury, General Mills spent $1.1 million to oppose GMO labeling legislation in CA, thus perpetuating consumer deception. Jeanne S.http://www.care2.com/news/member/984224062/3658722

News: Italy Bans Monsanto Maize http://www.greenerideal.com/politics/0725-italy-bans-monsanto-maize/Three Italian ministries are attempting to ban Monsanto’s MON810 strain of maize, one of 2 GM crops currently grown & sold in Europe. Citing the crop’s negative impacts on local biodiversity, Italy’s agricultural ministry is leading the country’s charge against the corporate giant. The temporary ban would prevent farmers from using this strain for a period of up to 18 months.“Our agriculture is based on biodiversity, on quality, & these we must continue to aim for, without games that even from an economic point of view would not make us competitive”. Cher C.http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/3615978

News:Biotechnology or Agroecology? The Monsanto Debate from Both Sides http://www.greenerideal.com/business/1016-monsanto-debate-from-both-sides/October 12 marked the 2nd March Against Monsanto this year, with actions planned in 52 countries & over 400 cities. Monsanto, which owns 90% of the world’s Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s), is perhaps most famous for its production & supplying of Agent Orange to the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange, which contained a toxic dioxin compound, killed approx. 400,000 people & caused approx. 500,000 cases of birth defects. Other notable products include DDT, banned in the U.S. in 1972, & Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH), controversial for its effects on dairy cows & humans. With a growing public awareness of GM food risks, biotechnology, mono-cultures & food (in)security, Monsanto faces a public relations crisis. Along with Walmart, BP, Apple, et al, it is a Corporation people love to hate. Discussion about: Monsanto Causes Farmer Suicides; Monsanto Uses “Terminator Technology”; Monsanto Suppresses GMO Labelling & Research; Monsanto & Bureaucrats are Co-Conspirators… Cher C. http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/3658760

70) New!! Pet.: Tell the World Food Prize Foundation not to reward Monsanto and bee-killer Syngenta’s outrageous practiceshttp://action.sumofus.org/a/world-food-prize-monsanto-syngenta/?sub=mtlIn an obscene development, a Monsanto executive is winning this year’s “Nobel Prize of agriculture”, the prestigious World Food Prize, for creating GMOs. Receiving it legitimizes the sort of rampant genetic modification Monsanto pioneered, & helps validate a ruthless business model that impoverishes farmers & monopolizes our food. If that wasn't baffling enough, the founder of Syngenta, the same biotech giant joining Bayer in suing Europe to keep selling bee-killing pesticides, will also win the prize & a share of the $250,000 prize money. We cannot allow this prize to legitimize frankenfoods & bee killers. The ceremony is in less than 2 weeks, we need to act now. Tell the World Food Prize Foundation not to reward Monsanto & bee-killer Syngenta’s outrageous practices. Winning this prize will encourage the wider use of GMO & be a huge obstacle to those fighting to investigate the long-term effects of its frankenseeds, which is exactly what Monsanto wants. In 2008, Monsanto made a $5 million pledge to the World Food Prize Foundation, part of its plan to buy the credibility it can’t legitimately earn. By handing its benefactor this award, the Foundation risks undermining the credibility of the most respected prize in agriculture. In protest, 81 Councilors of the World Future Council have penned a statement blasting the World Food Prize Foundation for betraying its purpose: “GMO seeds reinforce a model of farming that undermines sustainability of cash-poor farmers, who make up most of the world's hungry… The most dramatic impact of such dependency is in India, where 270,000 farmers, many trapped in debt for buying seeds & chemicals, committed suicide between 1995&2012.” Source:Kathleen R.; Cal M.

65) New!! Pet.: Tell the FDA to label Genetically Engineered foods!http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1948Genetically engineered foods are appearing on supermarket shelves with increasing frequency. While the scientific debate about the benefits & risks of genetically engineered crops is vigorous & unlikely to reach a consensus anytime soon, you have a right to know what you are eating now. Stand with EWG & the Just Label It campaign today & sign our petition to the FDA demanding that genetically engineered foods are labeled!SourceMike M.

64) New!! Pet.: Tell the FDA to label Genetically Engineered food http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5452In the U.S., we pride ourselves on having choices & making informed decisions. Under current FDA regulations, we don't have that choice when it comes to Genetically Engineered (GE) ingredients in the foods we purchase & feed our families. GE foodsare required to be labeled in the 15 European Union nations, Russia, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, & many other countries around the world. A poll released by ABC News found that 93% of the American public wants the federal Gov.t to require mandatory labeling of GE foods. Yet the U.S. is one of the only developed countries in the world that doesn’t require labeling.SourceMike M.

Another problem of HONESTLY LABELLINGan ingredient that WE UNWILLINGLY & UNCONSCIOUSLY HAVE EATEN, EAT, & ARE GOING TO EAT!!!!!!!!!!just as:PALM OIL, labelled as "VEGETABLE OILS"(???), &GMO, NOT BEING LABELLED AT ALL!!!!!WE HAVE THE FULL RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE EATING!!!BUT usually big CORPORATIONS DO NOT WANT US TO KNOW!!! because they KNOW that WE ARE NOT GOING TO CHOOSE, PICK from the Supermarket shelves & BUY "THAT" PRODUCT!!!! THIS IS DONE PURPOSELY = for their MONEY & GREED...

I've been off the computer for a week due to something akin to carpal tunnel, and I was so sorry to hear of the 'disappearance'!!!! Waiting, with all of you, to see what happens. Don't give up, Michela. After Facebook, surely care2 can't destroy all of your hard work!! Can't type much more, but'll check the most recent petitions on the Monsanto topic.

I can say that Connecticut has stopped Monsanto and I read the Europe is now resisting any attempts at mis- or non-labelling, so there's good news out there, I'm happy to say.

58) New!! Pet.:Tell the USDA: No More Field Trials of Unapproved GMO Crops!http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=11113An Oregon farmer found an unapproved, illegal variety of wheat, genetically engineered by Monsanto to withstand the company's toxic RoundUp herbicide, growing on his property. The rogue GMO wheat was discovered a full 8 years after Monsanto’s last known field trials in the state. It’s proof that GMO crops, legal or otherwise, have the potential to contaminate conventional non-GMO & organic crops. How many other unknown instances of contamination have occurred but have not yet been discovered? with Monsanto conducting hundreds of field trials of GMO crops in the US? Demand an immediate moratorium on all field trials of genetically engineered crops, incl. wheat. The variety of illegal wheat discovered in Oregon was field-tested in 16 States, from 1998to2005. Monsanto is still doing field tests of GMO wheat today, in N.Dakota & Hawaii, though the Co. has tried to portray its wheat program as closed out 9yrs ago. Once Monsanto's wheat is under control,USDA should turn his attention to the hundreds of other GMO field trials,any one of which could create the next contamination crisis. USDA'sbiotechnology database: hundreds of GMO field trials in every region of the country. USDA is testing GMO grapefruits&oranges in FL. Cornell Univ. in CA is testing GMO grapes.Monsanto is testingdicamba-tolerant GMO soybeans in AL, AR, AZ, CO, DE, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PuertoRico, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA & WI.Why would Monsanto need to test a single variety of GE soybeans in 30 states? Before it’s been approved for human consumption? Could the biotech giant be trying to contaminate the food supply with unapproved GMOs?Intentional contamination occurred in Paraguay, before GMOs were approved. Paraguay's Dep Agriculture Ministry, admits: "It’s possible that [Monsanto], promoted its varieties & its seeds" before they were approved. "We had to authorize GMO seeds because they had already entered our country in an unorthodox way."

51) New!! Pet.: Tell Congress: Don't Pass a Farm Bill that Lets Monsanto Wipe Out State GMO Labeling Laws!http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/congress-dont-pass-a?source=c.url&r_by=5382364 (Worldwide Petition) Monsanto has been poisoning our food&environment for nearly 20yrs. Consumers are fighting back, by demanding labels on GMO foods. Will Monsanto try to take away our right to pass state GMO labeling laws? Monsanto already slipped a rider into the emergency Continuing Resol., giving the biotech giant immunity from federal law. There is talk of an amendment or rider to the 2013 FarmBill that could take away states' rights to pass GMO labeling laws. Monsanto hoped that by pouring $46million into defeating CA’s ballot initiative to label GMOs last year, other states would be discouraged from launching similar campaigns. But GMO labeling laws advanced in Vermont, Connecticut & Maine. WA State voters will decide the issue in Nov., at the ballot box. Rather than try to defeat one state campaign after another, is the Biotech Bully looking to Congress for another handout? In the form of a sweeping ruling that would preempt states’ rights to label GMOs? On May 15, the House Ag Committee passed the King Amendment, a measure that if survives to the final version of the farm bill, could take away states’ rights to label GMOs. The jury’s still out on whether or not the King Amendment could be interpreted that broadly. When it comes to Monsanto & its willingness to bend the law for its own purposes, the verdict is guilty. Source: Ellen J.

57) New!! Pet.: Coke and Pepsi: We won’t drink your GMOs! http://action.greenamerica.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9797Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have made it clear that they would like to keep these dangers hidden from those who purchase their products.These corporations, two of the most well-known and successful food and beverage providers in the world, are doing their best to deny consumers in America the right to know what is in the food they eat. In November of 2012, the two corporations spent more than $4.1 million combined to oppose GMO labeling, with PepsiCo spending $2,485,400 and Coca-Cola spending $1,700,50.Nancy C.:http://www.care2.com/news/member/830372471/3581951

53) New!! Pet.: NDTV dump Monsanto! http://www.greenpeacex.in/petitions/ndtv-dump-monsanto-1-NDTV in it's new TV series talks about democracy & improving peoples lives.Then why is it partnering with a corporation like Monsanto known for using unscrupulous means to propagate its trade.-NDTV is a reputed news organisation & pioneer in Indian TV news space. It aims to provide accurate news. So why partner with a liar like Monsanto?- Monsanto is a controversial corporation hated by people all over the world. Monsanto uses unethical practices & evil money to further its agenda.GMOs are banned in so many countries. There is a lot of resistance to it in India as well.- Monsanto is known for its agenda to control food & farming as seen in the case of Bt cotton in India.Cotton was once used by Mahatma Gandhi in the fight for India’s independence, now 93% of our cotton is owned by American company Monsanto’s proprietary technology known as Bt cotton.Source: Jaya S.

52) New!! Pet.:Tell Sharkey & Malloy Connecticut Supports GMO Labeling!http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/gmo_labeling_in_CT_under_assault/?akid=881.859154.ZBykOe&rd=1&t=6Last week the Connecticut Senate passed a heroic GMO labeling bill by a vote to 35 to 1. Tragically, in response, Governor Malloy (D-CT) & Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) intentionally forced a weak amendment on a House version of the bill that gutted any serious labeling of GMOs in the state. It's outrageous that for the second year in a row that Gov. Malloy & Speaker Sharkey have worked together to stop serious efforts to get a strong GMO labeling bill passed in Connecticut. We need your help today to make sure we can win GMO labeling this year! With only a few weeks left, we need you to act today! Join us to help make GMO labeling a reality in Connecticut!Source: Jeanne S.

I'm torn between 'Ay yi yi' and 'Oy veh'! Seriously, this hits me as hard as whatever the heck is going on in America's Congress?!?! I guess it all comes down to money talking. It's simply SHAMEFUL! God, help us! And thanks to Michela and Jeanne and everyone in the group!

8.Join a food co-0p.Localharvest.org: “Food cooperatives are worker or customer owned businesses that provide grocery items of the highest quality & best value to their members. Coops can take the shape of retail stores or buying clubs. All food coops are committed to consumer education,product quality, & member control, & usually support their local communities by selling produce grown locally by family farms.” Food co-ops can be found HERE & HERE.

9.Support restaurants that buy locally.The locavore movement is catching on. If you choose to go out to dinner, opt for restaurants that have seasonal menus based on local harvests. You can find a list of such eateries HERE.

10.Educate friends, family, & the local community.Extend the activism beyond your own kitchen by helping to promote the local options. Lots of people have no idea what to do with swiss chard or rutabagas. Volunteer to teach a cooking class that focuses on seasonal foods. Write up flyers to be inserted with co-op or CSA baskets with instructions on how to prepare that months’ harvest. Submit seasonal recipes to your local paper. Educate, educate, educate, on the benefits & importance of locally grown, non-GMO food.

Grass roots activism like Occupy Monsanto & the March Against Monsanto built a tidal wave of momentum against the GMO contaminating our supplies. We, everyday, ordinary people, can keep the movement going by remembering that the real votes are counted at the cash register.

& some reusable bags & head out to your local farmer’s market. Not only can you shop for vibrant, fresh-picked fruits & veggies, but many markets also offer home-baked goods, jams & jellies, & local meats. Be sure that you are buying directly from farmers. Some vendors buy from the same markets that the grocery stores do. Talk to the vendor & learn about the origin of the offerings.

5.Buy directly from the farm. If you live in a more rural area, shopping locally can be as easy as visiting a neighboring farm. Some set up roadside stands, others rely on the honor system, & others have small shops with their freshly harvested offerings.

6.Visit a pick-your-own farm.A great outing for the whole family is a pick-your-own farm. Even better, the price for fresh berries or apples is often lower when you provide your own labor. A morning spent in the field picking strawberries is both educational & a fun way to bond with your children. You can find a PYO farm in your area HERE.

7.Learn to preserve food. Many of us live in a climate doesn’t allow for fresh harvests year-round. You can acquire fresh produce in large quantities (like bushel baskets) for a far better price than a weekly supply. Canning, freezing, & dehydrating are 3 great ways to preserve that fresh picked goodness to enjoy in the middle of winter, while still avoiding the grocery store & it’s Monsanto-filled shelves.